Redemption
by kanderson8
Summary: After Belle and Rumplestiltskin share True Love's Kiss, Rumplestiltskin banishes her from his castle. But when The Evil Queen returns with news of his love's untimely death, will he believe her? Can even the most broken heart be healed? Will the worst scars ever mend? Read on for a story of romance, trust, and redemption.


_Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended._

Rumplestiltskin's hands curled into fists and his heart froze in his chest as his eyes focused on the sight below him. At first, he thought that the blue figure sauntering towards the Dark Castle was just a figment of his imagination, but as it came closer and closer, there was no denying the reality at hand. Belle, his darling Belle, was returning to the castle – straw laden basket in hand. Hastily, he tore his eyes away from Belle and turned to run down the stairs, taking them three at a time. It wasn't long before he was skidding into the great hall and sitting down at his wheel, earnestly trying to slow his racing heart and look nonchalant. Moments later, the doors swung open to reveal a very happy looking Belle, and Rumplestiltskin found it hard to keep the smile from growing on his face.

"Oh! You're back already. Good…good thing. I'm, uh, I'm nearly out of straw."

Belle smirked at him as she laid her basket down by the foot of the spinning wheel.

"Hm. Come on – you're happy I'm back!"

Rumplestiltskin chuckled softly and leaned forward, as if he were sharing a secret.

"I'm not unhappy." His breath hitched, however, when he realized that Belle was moving closer to him. Her hands rested gently on his shoulders as she slid behind him and onto the stool next to him. She scooted the stool closer to him and laid a hand on his thigh, meeting his eyes.

"You promised me a story."

"Did I?" Rumplestiltskin gulped.

Belle nodded slowly. "Tell me about your son."

"I lost him. There's nothing more to tell, really."

"And since then, you've loved no one? And no one has loved you?"

Rumplestiltskin lowered his head and leaned in towards Belle. His dark eyes searched her light ones, looking for signs of a trap.

"Why did you come back?"

"I wasn't going to. Then…something changed my mind."

The next few moments seemed to move in slow motion to Rumplestiltskin. Belle was edging her face closer to his, those long eyelashes fluttering nervously. Her eyes closed as she grew closer, her warm breath caressing his lips. There was a moment of sheer panic – he had imagined kissing her many times over the past months, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect it to become a reality. He pushed all insecurities to the back of his mind as he closed his eyes and let his lips descend on Belle's.

Rumplestiltskin had been the Dark One for many a year, and in all that time, he wanted for nothing. He tasted the finest wines and slept on the finest linens. His clothing was made of the softest silk and the strongest leather that gold could buy, and his castle was renowned as one of the largest and most ornate structures in the entire Enchanted Forest. None of this luxury, however, could compare to the complete and utter bliss he felt the moment his lips met Belle's. The kiss was chaste, yet it was one of the most passionate moments in the Dark One's life. Her lips were warm and yielding beneath his own, and he could feel her mouth turn up slightly in a small smile. His entire mind seemed to go blank, and the only thing he could focus on was the softness of her lips.

All too soon, the kiss ended. They pulled apart hesitantly – Belle with a smile on her face, Rumplestiltskin with a grimace on his. The lovely butterflies he had experienced during their kiss were gone – replaced now with the unsettling feeling of his insides rearranging themselves. He felt weaker by the moment, a weariness that he had not felt in years settling into his bones.

"What – what's happening?"

Belle, on the other hand, was elated. Rumplestiltskin was changing before her very eyes. His green-gold skin was developing into normal, healthier looking shade. His lank hair was also regaining some life as it straightened and filled with volume. And his voice, his voice made Belle's voice heart sing. Gone was the high pitched giggle, the overly flamboyant inflections; they were now replaced with a low, warm sound. The two words that he had spoken were like music to his ears.

"Kiss me again!" She urged. "It's working!"

"What is?"

Belle grasped his shoulders and gave him a radiant smile.

"Any curse can be broken," she whispered.

Like lightning, Rumplestiltskin was on his feet, the seat beneath him shooting backwards. Belle gasped at the sudden movement and recoiled, confusion overtaking her.

"Who told you that? Who knows that?!" He demanded, jabbing a finger at her.

"I-I don't know. She…she…"

"She…"

Rumplestiltskin ran to the only mirror in the castle and ripped the covering off of it, glaring at his own reflection.

"You…evil…soul! This was you! You turned her against me! You think you can make me weak? You think you can defeat me?"

Belle rose from the stool and scurried to Rumplestiltskin's side, trying to understand what had just happened.

"Who are you talking to?"

"The Queen!" Rumplestiltskin squealed, turning to face the beauty. "Your friend, the Queen. How did she get to you?"

Belle was at a loss for words – the only queen she had ever met before was her own mother, and she had died years ago.

"I knew this was a trick," Rumplestiltskin continued, closing in on Belle. "I knew you could never care for me. Oh yeah…you're working for her…or is this all you? Is this you being the hero and killing the beast?"

Belle shook her head and willed the tears that were streaming down her cheeks to cease. The beautiful moment they had shared was long gone, a distant memory compared to the rage he was projecting onto her.

"It was working-"

"Shut up!"

"This means it's true love!"

Rumplestiltskin grabbed Belle's arms and squeezed tightly, bruising the soft flesh there.

"Shut the hell up!"

"Why won't you believe me?" Belle cried, her voice breaking. The beast responded by growling and shaking her roughly as he shouted at her.

"Because no one – no one! – could ever, ever love me!"

Belle crumpled in his arms, grief overtaking her. She had lived with Rumplestiltskin long enough to know that his stubbornness, while already world-renowned, was only strengthened whenever he went into one of his rages. This, however, was different. He honestly believed himself to be unlovable, refused to see any way out of this curse that had overtaken him. So, Belle did the only thing she could do. She wept. She wept for his lost humanity, she wept for the death of their short lived romance. She barely noticed as he led her from the room and down into the dungeons – back to the place where it had all began. With a rough shove and a sharp glare, she was locked back into her original cell. As the darkness consumed the small room, another type of darkness was brewing as well, and it began to consume the very heart of Belle.

It had been months since he had thrown Belle from the Dark Castle, but there was still a gaping hole in Rumplestiltskin's heart. He mourned her absence every day – the silence of the empty castle was deafening on his ears, and he found himself missing the mere presence of another soul. As he paced his large study, his mind reeled with the meeting that had just taken place in the great hall.

_"What tragedy?" _

_"You don't know? Well, after she got home, her fiancé had gone missing. And after her stay here, her association with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her. Cut her off, shut her out." _

_Rumplestiltskin's heart leapt to his throat, hope coursing through his veins. _

_"So, she needs…a home?" _

_The Queen snorted at that, and the hope in his veins turned to ice. _

_"He was cruel to her! He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while, she threw herself off the tower. She died." _

_"You're lying," he whispered, holding back tears. _

_"Am I?" She asked, a sly grin growing on her face. _

_"We're done." _

After the Queen had left, he had erected a small shrine to his lost love and wept over it, cursing his quick temper and self-doubt. He stood there in front of the chipped teacup for hours, reminiscing over his favorite things about his Belle. The way her eyes lit up when she was reading a good book, or the way she hummed to herself as she swept the floor. The way she stood in front of the open window and let the golden sun warm her face, and the way she laughed at his jokes. There was no way she was dead, it just wasn't possible. Someone as radiant as his Belle, someone as pure and honest and loving, it was impossible to imagine her undergoing such torture. And that's when it hit him.

Belle wasn't dead. It was impossible – he would have known. It was a side effect of True Love, a sixth sense of sorts. A couple who had True Love would be able to know if their loved one was in danger of dying, in the hopes that they would be able to save them. He felt no such tug from Belle, and he still loved her with all of his heart, so there was only one conclusion to be drawn. Regina had been torturing Belle enough that it would cause her agony, but not enough to put her in mortal danger. The thought made Rumplestiltskin's heart clench, and he raced about his study, pulling on his dragon hide coat and grabbing all the weapons he could carry.

That damn evil soul. The Evil Queen had gone much too far this time – it was one thing to take another's possessions, or toy with their plans, but to take another's true love? Not even the devil himself would stoop that low. And that story she had spun – once he had calmed his mind, it was so easy to see through. Belle's father definitely hated him, but he would never lay a hand on his own beloved daughter. No, it was obvious now. The Queen had taken Belle captive, and was most likely torturing her for information on the Dark One's weaknesses. Suddenly, a strange feeling filled Rumplestiltskin's stomach and his heart dropped. This was it. This was the feeling. This is what it felt like when your true love was in danger of dying. Rumplestiltskin threw aside all thoughts of revenge as he dissipated into purple smoke, his only focus on saving Belle.

OOOOOOO

Belle spent most of her time lying on the floor these days – she found that the cool ground was a welcome relief to the agonizing wounds on her back. Today had been a branding day – the most painful type of torture she had endured in her time here. At least when she was whipped and sliced open by her torturers, the pain left after some time. Branding however, was different. It scarred instantly and the pain plagued her for days, keeping her awake at night and making her mind swirl with uncertainty. She had lost track of just how long she had been locked up for, each day of pain blurring into the next. The only thing that kept her sane was her hope. Even after all these months, she still held out hope that he would come for her, like the hero always did in the books she had read. She looked up at her barred window and imagined him breaking through, removing her chains, and whisking her off back to the Dark Castle, to their home. With that picture in her mind, she shifted into a more comfortable position and willed sleep to take her, to carry her into the escape of her dreams where she and Rumplestiltskin could be together.

OOOOOOO

Belle's vision was swimming and churning, the world before her blurring every time she tried to focus on something. She tried desperately to hone in on something pleasant, but the only things she could feel were the new scars on her back and the rough hands of the guards that were dragging her back to her cell. She had originally insisted on walking on her own, but her body just wouldn't let her. Today had been an especially painful day – whipping followed by branding. The branding portion had been personally carried out by the Queen; it was obvious that she was growing frustrated with Belle's ongoing silence.

_"You WILL tell me what he's been planning!" _

_Belle said nothing, instead focusing on counting the cracks on the dungeon floor. _

_"Why, you little brat. I'll give you one more chance – what is Rumplestiltskin planning?" _

_Again, silence. Belle squeezed her eyes shut and tensed all her muscles, waiting for the blow of the whip. Sure enough, it came down hard upon her back, causing her to cry out. She bit down on her lip, drawing blood. She truly had no idea what the Queen wanted to know, but she wouldn't tell her that. She wouldn't tell her anything. She loved Rumplestiltskin, and if that meant enduring this torture, so be it. _

_"Still nothing? Maybe the branding iron will loosen your tongue." _

_Belle whimpered slightly at that and raised her head, her eyes begging for mercy. The Queen only smiled wickedly back at her as she retrieved the branding iron from its place in the fireplace, the metal a frightening shade of red. Belle felt her breathing hitch and her body panic, but she willed herself to stay still, to stay strong. She fought down the bile that rose up her throat as she felt the warm rod get closer and closer to her skin, but she could not control the scream of agony that left her lips as the branding iron was dragged along the delicate skin of her shoulders. _

The guards threw Belle into the small cell, and she instantly turned to lie on her back, the cool ground a welcome relief from the burning sensation. The guards had already locked her door and left, so she took this opportunity to cry freely, sobbing at both the physical pain and the emotional. She was so convinced that Rumplestiltskin would come for her, she had always used that hope to keep herself alive, to keep her eyes open even in the most agonizing pain. But now, as the weeks had turned into months, the darkness that had been planted inside of her the day Rumplestiltskin rejected her had blossomed into something terrible and great. He wasn't coming for her. He may have loved her once, but she had ensured that he would never love her again. No, he was not going to save her.

New tears ran down Belle's face as she shifted against the ground, the pain stabbing her entire body with a white-hot heat. There was no hope anymore; there was nothing left for her in this life. Nothing but pain, nothing but sorrow. She couldn't take this torture anymore, and each day that Rumplestiltskin didn't break through her window, she willed death to take her, to sweep her away from this hell. Suddenly, determination flooded through her. She may not be able to escape this castle alive, but she'd be damned if she endured one more day of torture. Her mind went hazy and she entered a trance like state, her only thoughts were of relief, relief of all the pain she had experienced. Underneath the makeshift bed were a pile of rocks that had chipped from the wall, and several of them were quite sharp. She grabbed one in her hand and scooted until her back was resting against the stone wall, staring down at the potential weapon in her hand.

_Do the brave thing, and bravery will follow,_ her mind chanted. With a deep breath, Belle brought the blade-like rock against the tender flesh of her inner arm and began to draw lines, her ruby red blood escaping with every gash. When she felt like she had done a sufficient job, she threw the rock across the room and observed her handiwork With each slowing heartbeat, she watched her life blood leave her arm, and a sense of peace filled her. It would be over soon, and she would never have to feel this kind of heartbreak ever again. She would be free from pain, free from debt, free from everything that had ever held her back. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes and let her head fall against the wall, waiting for death to claim her. As time passed, she felt herself slowly ebb away, and she barely even noticed the bars of her window twisting to allow a figure through. She willed herself to open her eyes and tried desperately to focus on the figure in front of her, but she could only make out a very dark form in front of her.

"Belle?"

OOOOOOO

Rumplestiltskin appeared in front of the dungeons, where the prisoner's windows met the open air. It was a cruel thing, to keep the prisoners so close to freedom, close enough that they could smell the fresh air and see the sun rise. He ran from window to window, searching for his true love, but was only met with disappointment. He began to lose hope, but then he realized that there was only one window left, and he knew. Maybe it was desperation, maybe it was the force of true love, but he knew that Belle had to be in that last cell. With a wave of his hand, the bars of the window groaned and moved to allow him to slide in. When he saw his beloved, however, he was frozen in place. His lovely, darling Belle was lying in a pool of blood, her own blood. Her left arm was covered in ragged cuts, and he skin was growing paler and paler by the minute.

"Belle?" He whispered, praying that he wasn't too late. Her eyes fluttered open weakly to look at him, but her eyes couldn't seem to focus.

"Rumple? Is that you?" Her voice was weak and quiet.

"I'm here, darling, I'm here." He rushed to her side and ripped his silk sleeve off, wrapping it around Belle's injuries. He could tend to her better at the Dark Castle, but a simple bandage would have to do for now. He just prayed that she was still strong enough to undergo teleportation. Once the bandage was secure, he gathered Belle into his arms as though she were a child and held him close to her chest. She had lost so much weight – she was pounds lighter than she was when he had caught her so many months ago in the Dark Castle. Belle shifted against his chest and tucked her head under his chin, nuzzling close to him.

"Am I dead, Rumple? Did I do it? Is this heaven?" She murmured.

Rumplestiltskin's heart broke at her words, and he pulled her tighter against his chest, planting a small kiss onto her hair.

"No, love. You're alive, and we will never be apart again. I swear it."

OOOOOOO

The couple appeared in a puff of purple smoke in a room that Belle had never seen before. Her mind was clearing more and more by the minute, but she was still extremely disoriented. She was convinced that this was all just a dream – for if she were dead, she would surely not feel a painful throbbing in her arm. And it must be a dream, because Rumplestiltskin would never come for her in reality. He hated her, despised her, and threw her from his castle.

Rumplestiltskin's mind, however, was reeling. He set her onto the bed with tender care and used several pillows to prop her back up before running to a cabinet on the wall and rifling through the bottles there. What had Regina done to her? Why would she leave her to die by herself – Regina wanted to watch the light leave her victim's eyes. And what on earth had Belle meant by "Did I do it?". He grabbed the bottle he was looking for – a strong healing potion, and turned back to his beauty. She was growing more alert by the second, and seemed to realize that she wasn't dreaming at all.

"Rumple, what happened? Where are we? Are you real?" She reached out to him, but winced as she realized she had tried to move her left arm. She stared down at the offending appendage, her brows furrowed. Rumplestiltskin summoned a chair to her bedside and gently pulled her arm into his lap, unwrapping the makeshift bandage.

"Why did she do this to you?" He asked through clenched teeth, ignoring Belle's hisses as he dropped the potion onto her wounds. He exhaled in relief as he saw the gashes close and her skin regain its rosy color.

"She didn't do this to me," Belle admitted, lowering her eyes to avoid his stare.

"What?" He sputtered, confused.

"I did."

Rumplestiltskin's heart dropped to his stomach and tears prickled his eyes. His Belle, attempting to end her own life? It wasn't possible – yet the evidence was right in front of him. He did the only thing he could think to do. He lifted her pale arm to his mouth and planted soft kisses on each scar there, murmuring sweet nothings to her as he did so.

"I'm so sorry, Rumple," she cried, her chest heaving with her sobs, "I'm so sorry. I thought you were going to leave me there forever, and I couldn't – I couldn't take another day of that torture."

Rumplestiltskin growled as he planted soft kisses on her knuckles.

"Tell me, my dear. Tell me what she did to you. I'll make her pay, I promise."

Belle shook her head gently and squeezed the hand that held her own.

"No, Rumple. You mustn't stoop to her level. I'm alive, and I'm with you, and that's all that matters. We must move forward from this, together."

"Of course, Belle, of course. Sleep now, love. You need your rest, and I need to brew you more potions. I'll return soon, and we can talk more then."

With one last kiss on her knuckles and a caress on her cheek, Rumplestiltskin stood and left the room before his rage could bubble over. Belle knew that he would go smash something, but she was so happy to be back with him, she didn't mind. The covers of this bed were warm, and the pillows were soft, and a blissful sleep claimed her before she had a chance to register what had just happened.

OOOOOOO

The light streamed in through the windows, the soft orange rays warming her skin. Belle woke slowly, savoring the comfort in knowing that she wasn't waking up to guards waiting to drag her to some torture session. Instead, she buried her head into the silk pillow and inhaled deeply, smelling sandalwood and numerous herbs. It was a scent that was solely Rumplestiltskin, and she loved it. Belle released the pillow and opened her eyes again, letting them adjust to the morning light. She surveyed the room around her and was thoroughly confused – it was one she had never been in before.

The room was simple, yet elegant. The floors were a deep cherry wood, but lacked the obnoxious shine that some castles insisted on. Instead of being flamboyant, they were warm and inviting. The walls were bare, save for a few torches to light the room. They were light beige, and were also pleasing on the eye. The furniture was simple – a well-worn chair next to the fireplace, an ordinary looking wardrobe. The bed she was in was large, but not overly so. It could easily fit two people, but was soft and warm, with clean white sheets and a dark grey quilt. Suddenly, the door opened, interrupting her from her investigation.

"Oh! You're awake. How are you feeling, dearie?"

Rumplestiltskin continued to push open the door with his shoulder until he was in the room, letting it close behind him. He balanced a large tray in his hands, laden with all matter of breakfast food, tea, and a single white rose. Belle blushed with pleasure and pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at the dull pain that emanated from her left arm and back.

"Better," she said, rubbing her arm absently. "A little sore, but even still, I haven't felt this little pain in months."

Rumplestiltskin's smile faltered at that, but he was soon grinning again as he gently settled the tray on Belle's lap. He pulled the armchair by the fire over to her bedside and pushed two vials on the tray towards her.

"Drink those first," he said. "They're healing potions – one for your blood loss, one for your back. Once you've taken them, we'll move on to food. I assume we'll have to take it slowly – I doubt you've been eating much recently."

Belle shook her head as she downed the first potion and grimaced at its bitter taste. She sent a pleading look to Rumplestiltskin, but he narrowed his gaze at her. She huffed under her breath and swallowed the second potion, sputtering slightly. Rumplestiltskin chuckled at that and handed her a napkin to dab at her lips.

"Sorry, dearie. Potions aren't exactly known for their taste – but they do the trick. Now, breakfast."

Rumplestiltskin insisted on feeding Belle the broth, worried that she would grow overzealous at the taste of real food and upset her stomach. However, when she proved that she was able to keep an entire cup of broth down, he allowed her a single slice of toast. He grabbed a piece for himself, and they nibbled in companionable silence. Belle finished half of hers before setting back on the tray, her stomach feeling like it was about to burst. Ignoring her discomfort, she reached for the rose and began to examine it. Each petal was free of any imperfections and seemed to glow around the edges. Upon closer inspection, she realized that each petal was lined with a hair-thin border of gold. She gasped at that, and looked up at Rumplestiltskin with a radiant smile. His cheeks darkened slightly, which she took as a blush, and he looked away quickly.

"Belle," he said quietly, "We have to talk about what happened."

Belle shifted uncomfortably.

"About before you threw me out? Or after?"

"I'll make you a deal." Belle smiled at his words. "I'll tell you about before, if you'll tell me about the after."

"Deal." She agreed. Rumplestiltskin stretched his limbs and relaxed back into the chair, folding his hands over his stomach.

"You'll have to forgive me, but I've never been good at voicing my…emotions. I suppose I should start at the beginning. Many, many years ago, I had a wife and a son. I lived in the Frontlands, and we were in the first area that the ogres attacked in the First Ogre War. I, along with all the other eligible men in my village, left to fight. I bid my pregnant wife goodbye and left to make her proud. The night before our first battle, I met a seer. She told me that if I followed through with the battle, I would die, and never live to see my son. I had no choice, Belle, I couldn't leave him fatherless. So, I injured myself. Shattered my knee and a bone in my leg. I was sent back home, but when I returned, I was regarded as a coward. My wife left me, left for a life gallivanting with pirates. It was just my son and I, and once we healed from her loss, we lived a fairly happy life. We were poor, and I was unpopular in my village, but we had each other, and our home was a loving one. Then the Second Ogre War began. So many older men had been killed in the first war, they were drafting younger and younger – they started to put children on the front line. They were going to take my boy, Belle. They were going to march him to his death. He was the only thing I had left, he was my life. Around that time, I discovered the tale of the Dark One, and learned that if I were to kill the Dark One, I would take his place. I…I did it. I became the Dark One. My intentions were honorable – the first thing I did with all that magic and power was end the war. I led the children back home, back to their parents – I was a hero! But the power was too great. You don't become the Dark One, rather, he becomes you. I began to use my magic to intimidate, to hurt people. It drove my son away from me, he began to hate who I was becoming. He and I made a deal that if he found a way to release me from my powers, I would let them go. He…he found it. A magic bean, a portal to a land without magic. We were supposed to go together, to start over but when the time came…I couldn't do it. I lost him that night, and I have regretted it every day since. That has been the only deal I have ever broken in my existence. I've devoted my life to finding him again, so that I could regain the only thing I ever loved. And then you came along." Rumplestiltskin gave Belle a weak smile. "And you opened my heart. You lured the man out from behind the monster, and made me fall in love again, a deeper love than I could have ever imagined. However, I was convinced that my love was unrequited. If I had known that you truly loved me, I would never have let you kiss me that night. As you remember, I assumed that Regina had sent you in an attempt to destroy my power. I need this power, Belle. I can't find my son as an ordinary man, I need magic. I locked you in the dungeon for your own good, it wasn't safe for you to be anywhere near me when I was in that sort of rage. I nearly destroyed this entire castle. I made you leave because, at the time, I knew that even if Regina was using you to get to me, there was no way that I could resist you if you continued to advance on me. I loved you too much. Telling you to leave was one of the hardest things I've had to do. Months later, Regina came to me for a deal, and told me that your father had turned against you and tortured you, which lead to your eventual suicide. I was devastated, but once my mind had cleared, I realized that there was no way that was true. Your father may hate me, Belle, but he would never do that to you. I put two and two together and realized that Regina must be holding you captive, so I teleported there immediately and rescued you. And that, I believe, is the end of my tale."

Rumplestiltskin helped himself to a cup of tea as he regarded Belle, searching her face for any signs of hatred or fear. Belle returned his gaze steadily as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, my," she said softly. "If…if I'd had known, I would have never…I'm so sorry…"

Rumplestiltskin laid his hand on hers.

"No, dearie, none of that. The fault is entirely my own – you have nothing to apologize. Now, I believe, it's your turn to speak."

"Of course," she said, taking a few calming breaths. "My tale is far shorter than yours. After you asked me to leave, I walked for some time before I found a place to stay in a dwarf tavern. I made friends there, and began debate coming back to this castle. I decided not to return, and instead embarked on an adventure to kill the Yaoguai – but it ended up being a man, trapped in a beast's body. It just…it reminded me so much of you. I decided to return and see if we could be together, but then I was captured by Regina. She locked me up and tortured me for information, but I gave her none. The days blurred together after that, and then you rescued me."

Rumplestiltskin nodded thoughtfully and squeezed Belle's hand within his own.

"I would promise you that I'll kill Regina for you, but I know you would only ask me not to." Belle smiled at that. "Now, I was going to head into town today – is there anything you need?"

"You're too kind to me! A dress would be nice – this one is rather tattered."

Rumplestiltskin jumped up and bowed to his love, a high pitched giggle escaping his mouth.

"Your wish is my command, dearie!" With that, he turned and left the room.

Belle remained in the bed for some time after that, taking in everything she had just heard. He really did love her! And a son…she knew that he existed, but she never would have guessed what happened to him. Her heart broke for Rumplestiltskin, and she wished she could go back in time and talk to him before she kissed him. Maybe if she did – no. She mustn't allow herself to dwell on the past like that. She pulled herself from the bed and engaged in a cat-like stretch. She hadn't felt this good in months, and whatever Rumplestiltskin had given her this morning had completely erased any residual soreness. She looked down at herself and gasped – she was a mess! Her dress, once a lovely light blue, was covered in old blood stains and was torn in several pieces. She could feel that her hair was a rat's nest, but it was nothing a good combing could fix. She sniffed under her arm experimentally and was pleasantly surprised – Rumplestiltskin must have used a cleansing spell on her while she was sleeping. She walked over to the wardrobe and looked inside; suddenly realizing exactly where she was.

This was Rumplestiltskin's personal room. She would have never guessed by how understated the room was, but there was no mistaking who these silk shirts and leather waistcoats belonged to. She bit her lip and pulled out a deep crimson shirt and a dark brown waistcoat – this one made of cloth. Surely he wouldn't mind if she borrowed his clothes? He preferred to walk to town rather than teleporting, so it would be quite some time before he returned. She quickly pulled her shredded dress over her head and slid on the shirt and waistcoat, reveling in the feel of soft silk against her skin. Unfortunately, the shirt only hit her mid-thigh, and she would have to borrow his pants as well. She eyed the stack of breeches warily, noting that there were no cloth ones – only leather. She sighed before grabbing the pair on top and shimming into them. They were a bit tight, but would do until Rumplestiltskin returned. She knew she had to fix her hair next, but there was no comb in sight, so she walked out of the room and down the stairs while running her fingers through her hair and plaiting it.

As she reacquainted herself with the castle's halls, it almost delighted her to see that there was a thick layer of dust accumulating on almost everything. She knew deep down that Rumplestiltskin would never hire another maid after her, but she had her insecurities from time to time. She eventually found her way into the kitchen, where she secured the braid with a small ribbon from the stash she used to keep there. She found the bread in the same place it always was, same with the butter and jam. Truly, he had changed nothing since she had left. The only thing she couldn't seem to find was the tea set that contained her chipped cup. She brushed the thought off as she helped herself to a hardy slice of bread. Dwelling on such sentimental things would only bring pain. She had more serious thinking to do.

Rumplestiltskin still loved her – that was obvious. But did she love him? She thought so, but then again, she had so recently come to accept that he abandoned her to die. That, she decided, was not something so easily overlooked. Her feelings towards him were strong, but she was having trouble identifying just what they were. With Rumplestiltskin, everything was fast paced and passionate. She experienced the highest level of ecstasy with True Love's Kiss, and the most devastating depression when she lost him. When she was on her own, having her own adventures, she found that she was occupied, but not thrilled. After living with Rumplestiltskin, everything else seemed rather mundane. The problem was, she didn't know what she wanted. Passion was amazing, but also a double edged sword. Mundane was safe and comforting, but could also be oh so boring.

"Aghh!" She groaned, grabbing her head with her hands. "I must discuss this with Rumple," she told herself. "We'll decide what to do. Together."

_A/N: Next time, Rumple goes dress shopping! Jefferson stops by! Belle makes a choice! Stay tuned!_


End file.
